Thermostatic control mechanism for carburetors



Nov. 20 1923..

F. S. LACK THERMOSTATIG CONTROL MECHANISM FOR .CARBURETORS Filed Sept. 21. 1921 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

UNITED sures FRED S. LACK, OF PADUCAH KENTUCKY.

rnrmios're'nc cournor. mncnamsn m cannnnn'rons.

Application filed September 21, 1921. Serial No. 502,278.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED S. LACK, a citizen of the United States. residing at Paducah, in the county of McC-iacken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Control Mechanism for Carburetors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates] to thermostatic control mechanism for carburetors, being particularly designed and adapted for, use in connection with internal combustion engines of motor vehicles, such as automobiles, motor trucks, and the like.

The primary ob'ectof the invention is to rovide a generally improved thermostatic evice in which the liquid fuel control or needle valve of the carburetor is moved or controlled in accordance with the varying temperatures of the motor casing and. exhaust manifold, a" rise in temperaturecausing the thermostatic member and the control or needle valve to be moved toward its closed position to correspondingly reduce the supply of liquid fuel and a,fall in temperature causing the same to be moved in the opening position to correspondingly increase the supply of liquid fuel into the carburetor thereby correspondingly decreasing or increasing the richness of the combustible vapor or gas passing into the inlet pipe and manifold leading to the respective engine cylinders.

A further and very important object is the provision of a safety automatic device which will prevent the operation of the motor or engine upon the latter reaching a predetermined and prohibitive temperature, as for example, upon the clogging up of the cooling system or the running out or excessive reduction in supply of water therein.

A further object is to automatically change or control the richness or leanness of the combustible vapor or gas in accordance with motor temperatures and requirements, thereby effecting a large saving in liquid fuel and greatly increasing the efficiency of the motor.

A still further object is to assist. in the complete vaporization of the li uid fuel as it passes thru the control or need e valve opening of the carburetor by heating the control or needle valve thru the medium of the thermostatic control member or element.

With the above mentioned and other ends in view, the invention consists in a novel of this specification, Figure 1, is a si e elevation of a carburetor and the intake and exhaust manifolds of an ordinary internal combustion engine equipped with thermostatic control mechanism constructed in ac- 3' cordance with this invention.

Fig. 2, an enlarged central longitudinalsectional view of the thermostatic or'auxiliary exhaust member and liquid fuel control or needle valve carried and operated thereby.

Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings. 1

The inlet and exhaust manifolds 1 and 2, respectively, may be of any suitable and convenient construction, and so likewise the carburetor 3. The fuel control or needle valve 4, may be of any suitable and convenient construction and, in the present instance, is slidably mounted in the top portion of the carburetor body thru the medium of a suitable opening and a bushing 3, adapted to provide a slide fit for the needle valve. The latter is preferably adjustably mounted in the thermostatic member hereinafter referred to, by means of a threaded portion 3", the latter being provided with an adjusting head 3.

Referring now to the improved thermostatic member or element, it will be seen that I provide a hollow exhaust or thermostatic member 5, adapted to communicate with the exhaust manifold 2,.thru the medium of an opening 5 (see Fig. 2) leading through a similar shaped opening'inthe side of the exhaust manifold. The thermostatic element or pipe may be secured to the exhaust manifold in any suitable and convenient manner when used as an attachment or supplemental device, as for example by means of attaching elements or bolts 5", passi thru ears or lugs 5", as shown in Fig. 1 o the drawings.

As a means of rendering the thenmostatic member 5, more sensitive to changing temperatures as well as increasing its expending and contracting qualities, the interior portion is provided with a pair of oppositely extending bafli'es or diaphragms 5, suitably spaced apart and arranged to form an elongated circuitous passage 5, the latter terminating in an outlet port 5, said port 5', in the present instance, being provided with an exhaust pipe 5.

The thermostatic member 5 is secured to the liquid fuel control or needle valve 4 in any suitable and convenient manner, preferably by means of a supporting arm or lug 5!, provided with a threaded opening to receive the threaded portion of the needle valve. It will thus be seen that the needle valve is carried by and controlled thru the thermostatic or exhaust member 5, and that the needle valve may be adjusted manually independently of the thermostatic member carr ing the same.

aving thus described one of the embodiments of ,my invention, without having attempted to set forth all the forms in which it may be made, or all the modes of its use, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of an internal combustion engine having adjacent intake and exhaust manifolds, a carburetor attached to said intake'manifold and having a fuel valve, and a supplemental exhaust member communicating with said exhaust manifold extending to-a point adjacent to said carburetor and connected to said fuel valve so that the differential expansion between said supplemental exhaust member and said intake manifold operates said fuel valve.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of an internal combustion engine having adjacent intake and exhaust manifolds, a carburetor communicating with said intake manifold and arranged below said exhaust manifold, a fuel valve, and a supplementary exhaust member communicating with said exhaust manifold and provided with baffles forming a circuitous passage therein, said supplementary exhaust member being connected to said fuel valve to operate the latter through the differential expansion between said supplemental exhaust member and said intake manifold.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my FRED S. LACK.

, signature. 

